Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-18
A FERTILIZER FUGITIVE.
w. Il. LAwTON SURPRISES THE
TRADE IN NEW YORK.

w. Il. LAwTON SURPRISES THE
TRADE IN NEW YORK.
Liabilities Supposed to Aggregate Near
ly Million Dollars LefE Behind-At-
tschments Calling Tor over $500 900
Already Levied-The Absconder Col
lects Every Dollar Obtsinablo Before
Fleeing.
NEW YORK, March l7.-Sherif Grant
has seized the place of business OF Walter
II, Lawton, of No. 33 Broadway, who did
business under the firm name OF Lawton
Bros, in fertilizers, under attachments
from Judge Don0hue, OF the Supreme
Court on Creditors Claims, amounting to
$245, coo. 1t is charged that Mr.. Lawton
has absconded TO detraud his creditors,
that he has disposed OF his property and
taken large amount of money with him.
Mr.. Lawton's disappearance he's created
great deal OF apprehension, and il is
generally believed that he Is bankrupt.
He left his office on Tuesday afternoon,
as usual, to go to his home on the Hud-
son river, and has not been seen since.
To day his cashier states that several at
tacbments were obtained, but outside OF
buuI DOluiuB lS KNOWN.
OWES A MILLION.
The amount Of his liabilities are esti-
mated at about 81, 1,000,000. Lawton is
wild over and the sole representative OF
the firm, his brother having died some
time ago. The cashier states that Tues
day Mr.. Lawton wi; hdrew all mis- funds
| from the different banks In which he had
them deposited and took the money with
him. Mr.. Lawton before his departure
destroyed all stubs, checks and papers Of
every kind from which any information
could be secured as to the disposition OF
his funds and property. Joseph ID. Jones
placed in Lawton's care on Tuesday on
behalf OF the company $4,000. This is
also gone.
Mr.. Kirkland, the cashier, stated that
Tuesday ne had an interview With Mr..
Lawton at Broadway and Wall street,
and that Mr.. Lawton requested him to 20
with him to the officers of the Third Ma
tional Bank and introduce him. This he
did. Mr.. Lawton also asked him TO
execute blank warranty decd for the
conveyance of real estate In New Jersey,
and to meet him at the New York Hotel.
RUIN CONFESSED.
He met Mr.. Lawton there with the blank
deed and both went to the Grand Central
depot. Mr.. Lawton told Mir. Kirkland
that he intended to leave the city by train,
chat he had drawn out al, the money o.
deposit, that he was ruined, that he did
not know what to do. and that ne would
probably commit suicide. Mr. Lawton
further said that he had exhausted all his
| resources. He left Mr.. Kirkland to take
! the train. One OF the attachments was
| Issued at the instance OF the Chemical
| Ammoniate and oil Company. The COM
! panV delivered to Mr.. Lawton promissory
| notes OF the value of $4,000 in trust TO
/ discount notes and hold the proceeds for
| the company's benefit. In addition be re-
| ceived $4,000 in money. He discounted
| the notes, Kept the proceeds, and also re.
tsined the money and converted it to his
| own use.
The associates OF Mr.. Lawton look upon
| his disappearance as part of a gigantic
| swindle, and believe that he sailed on
| one OF Wednesdays steamers. He has a
| brother in sussex, Eng, and 1t is sup.
| posed that he has gone there: Several
| different parties had put securities In his
| control, and before mis- departure he con-
l yertsd everything into cash, and drew
I out all his bank accounts, and got a boy
| to help remove four or five valises, which
seemed to be lightly filed. His credit
was high and he was rated at over ST..
| 600, ,OC0 by the commercial agencies.
LIKE A THUNDERBoLT.
At the Office of r. g. Dun Il Co. the
| news OF the absconding OF LawtOn was,
| as one Of the officers expressed 1t, "like q
| thunderbolt." The hrm was rated an a
| good one, and the agency never had tae
| slightest intimation that trouble was 10
| be feared.
| supr. Fletcher, Of the Produce Ex.
| change, has received a communication
| from the firm of Lawt0n Bros, who have
an Office in the Exchange building, ASK.
| ing him 10 telegraph 10 tue exchanges ia
! st. Louis, New Orleans, Philadelphia,
| Boston aud Baltimore TO notify them that
| II was not their firm that had suspended.
\ The general o1ice Of the Irm 10 at Ha-
. vana, Cuba. Their request was complied
| with.
ATLANTA INTERESTED.
ATLANTA, GA, March 17.-Congress-
! man w. Hammond and son levied an at
tachmeut on one thousand shares OF stock
4 OF the Gate City Gas Light Company here
| tonighJ as the property of Waller Il.
| LawtOn, the Secretary and Treasurer OF
the company, The attachment was levied
| In obedience TO q telegram from the Delta
| AzotIn Company OF New York 10 Ham.
mond & Son, which stated that Mr.. Law
ton had absconded owing the Delta
Actin aud three other New
York corporations In tue az.
gregate $3ss,00O, much of which
WAS trust funds. The telegram also in
| structed Hammond & Son TO levy an at.
tachment Tor lawyer fees OF $500 on the
| same stock In favor OF Robert VanWyck,
an attorney Of New York, which was
done. The attachments are made return
| able TO tine City Court at the June term
Mr.. Lawton lives in New York, but often
| visited Atlanta TO inspect the working OF